1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to Internet Protocol TeleVision (IPTV) services and, in particular, relates to an IPTV service provision method and system for providing both fixed and mobile device users with IPTV services.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the Internet Protocol (IP)-based convergence and integration of wired and wireless communication systems, the integration of communication and broadcast services is emerging as a new business model with promising marketability. As an example of the communication and broadcast integration, Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) technology allows integration of conventional TeleVision (TV), voice, and data technologies and supports interactivity, which allows users-participation, and thereby provides opportunities for various business models and services. Particularly, IPTV technology allows providing both fixed terminals (such as set-top boxes, Personal Computers (PCs), and television sets) and mobile devices (such as mobile phones, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), and laptop computers) with flexible communication and broadcast services in many environments using wired, wireless, and broadcast networks, thereby enabling various business opportunities.
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating residential network architecture according to Open IPTV Forum (OIPF) standards. The residential network architecture is composed of five functional entities, and the entire collection of these functional entities is called the IPTV Terminal Function (ITF) 110. The ITF includes an Open IPTV Terminal Function (OITF) entity 111, an Internet Protocol (IP) Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) Gateway (IG) entity 113, an Application Gateway (AG) entity 115, a Cache Server Pages (CSP) Gateway (CSPG) entity 117, and WAN Gateway (WG) 119.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the OITF entity 110 of FIG. 1.
In FIG. 2, the Multimedia Data Terminating Function (MDTF) 201 receives generic data sent over multicast channel, the User Profile Management 203 manages subscription information associated with a specific user, the Performance Monitor Client 205 provides feedback on service quality, and the Stream Session Management and Control 207 initiates and terminates content delivery sessions. The Stream Receiver 209 receives streamed content from the network, the Codecs 211 are responsible for decoding, scaling, and rendering of the streamed and downloaded content, the Decrypt 213 removes any encryption applied to the content under the control of the CSP function, and the CSP 215 is responsible for terminal centric service protection and content protection. The Declarative Application Environment (DAE) 217 is responsible for presentation of user interface to IPTV service, the IPTV service Discovery 219 discovers IPTV Service Providers and related services, the Metadata CG Client 221 is responsible for managing metadata-based content guides, remote management client 223 provides remote firmware updates and software management, and the OITF Embedded Application 225 is an optional function providing manufacturer's embedded applications for IPTV service. The OITF entity further includes the DLNA 227, Content Download 229, Internal Storage System 231, and Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) functions 233. The detailed functions of the ITF are specified in the Functional Architecture v 1.1 of Open IPTV Forum. Accordingly, detailed descriptions on the individual function blocks are omitted herein. In FIG. 1, the gateways are logical entities for supporting various types of IPTV service structures. The IG is a logical entity for allowing the indoor devices to access managed network services based on an IMS core network and is responsible for conversion between Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) messages used in the home network and the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) messages used in the IMS ore network. The AG is a logical entity that manipulates media streams, filters Content Guide data such as the broadcast service guide, supports proprietary applications through a Remote User Interface (RUI), and supports advanced blended communication services. A Content and Service Protection Gateway (CSPG) is a logical entity that allows the devices in an indoor network to process the IPTV service without complex service and content protection functions. A Content and Service Protection Gateway (CSPG) is a logical entity that provides conversion from content and service protection in the network to a secure authenticated channel between the CSPG and the OITF.
As described above, current IPTV systems are designed to operate with devices within users' premises. However, this user-premises centric system design is not appropriated for converged IPTV service. Conventional ITFs structured as shown FIG. 1 have no functionality for users to receive IPTV services by means of mobile devices, resulting in a lack of fixed-mobile convergence capabilities.